BusinessBrief

MahkotaTechnologies

Invisible Services Sector

Building on Engineering Tradition UTILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE

T

here are probably only a handful of companies in Malaysia that can trace their heritage back as far as the 1920’s, when Kuala Lumpur was just a small mining town at the confluence of two muddy rivers. Mahkota Technologies is one such company, which began life in Malaysia in 1927 when the General Electric Company or G.E.C. as it was then known, opened a branch of its Singapore operations in KL.

Power Systems:

Automation & Control:

Electrical Power Transmission & Distribution Engineering, Procurement & Construction, Turnkey EHV Substations, Protection & Control Panels, Overhead Transmission Lines etc

Integrated Solutions, ‘SMART’ SCADA, DCS, Controls & Instrumentation, Factory Automation, Custom Designed Solutions

Electrical Power Distribution Equipment: Medium Voltage Switchgear, Relay/Control Panels

Broadcast & Telecoms Systems, FM Radio &TV Transmitters and Antenna Systems

Power Generation:

Marine Diesel Engines & Spares

Power Plants, Cogeneration & Renewable Energy Systems, Industrial Gensets, Engine Overhaul

Test Instrumentation & Education:

Water & Environment: Design & Construction of Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants, Dissolved Air Flotation, & Sludge Treatment.

By 1938, as quoted in a publication of September that year, “The company’s activities include communications, manufacture and installation of the Singapore automatic telephone exchange, and the majority of the rural automatic exchanges throughout Malaya.”

of projects in Malaysia. In Sabah, it completed the construction of a 180km transmission system for the West Coast Grid Extension complete with six substations. In Perlis, it has installed a 2x3000kW 6.6kV diesel blackstart system for a 650MW IPP combined cycle power plant.

The article goes on to say “ The G.E.C. installed the first turbine in the Federated Malay States and quite recently one of the largest, a 10,000kW set, at Bungsar (Bangsar?) Power Station, Kuala Lumpur.”

“These are turnkey projects with a substantial amount of local and worldwide procurement. Because of our history, British partners are important to us and we are always on the lookout for new ones,” explains Hall.

Other activities included dredge electrifications and specialist lighting equipment at the airports of Singapore and Penang, as well as the installation of high pressure mercury lamps and planning of street lighting for Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. Seventy years on, the company had developed a substantial track record in its traditional businesses of power systems and communications throughout Malaysia. It had also become a household name in refrigerators, air conditioning units and electric fans. When the company was Malaysianised in 1997, the name was changed to Mahkota Technologies, reflecting its commitment to Malaysia and Asia, as well as its move into higher tech industries. As John Hall, Chief Executive of Mahkota, emphasises, “We do have a tremendous heritage and all our staff are justifiably proud of this. However, we have used the last six years to build on this strength. We have now moved away from consumer brands into higher technology areas where our in-house engineering skills can be maximised and where we can offer an integrated engineering service. “Some of our 250 employees have been with the company for 25 years and that is an invaluable asset. But we have also introduced some new blood to bring in fresh ideas and plan for the future,” he adds. This includes students from local universities planning to follow a career in electrical or mechanical engineering and electronics. As market leaders in power sub-stations, Mahkota has recently delivered a number

12 berita bmcc

July-August 2003

ENGINEERING

And good progress has been made. “Our Automation & Controls business has been set up. Our Engineering Development Centre has been established. In the infrastructure business, we have moved into the water treatment industry and we have achieved company-wide ISO9001:2000.” And in a relatively new departure, the company is also clocking up successes overseas. Projects have been secured and executed in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh, for power substations, and in Brunei, for the supply and installation of radio transmitters. With sales of RM280 million, Mahkota is also keen to explore further growth opportunities in ICT and other hi-tech areas. “Our business structure has been designed to be highly responsive. We have manufacturing facilities here and English is used as the company language. Malaysia offers a low-cost infrastructure and we are always looking for a good fit.” A recent development of this nature is the agreement signed with Microsulis, a company that has developed microwave energy based life-enhancing solutions to treat acute and chronic medical conditions. Mahkota will provide full maintenance services for the equipment to be installed by Microsulis at six hospitals throughout Malaysia. “There are masses of opportunties here for companies with good products and we can offer them an established presence with good market knowledge and resources.” Tel: +603 7781 9850 www.mahkota.com.my

Communications Systems:

Test & Measurement Equipment for wireless, radio and microwave broadcasting systems.

Intelligent Traffic Management Systems: Design, supply, installation, commissioning, testing & maintenance of traffic flow systems.

RE Rogers First in Freight Forwarding If your company is a participant at overseas trade exhibitions, there’s a good chance that your exhibits and goods will be shipped there and handled on the ground at departure, entry and destination points by RE Rogers, a leading international freight forwarder. As Chris Smith, Managing Director, confirms, “RE Rogers handles the majority of shows in Malaysia and we are the official contractor for all shows organised by MES (Malaysian Exhibition Services), such as the upcoming Oil & Gas Asia Exhibition this July at MINES.” The company, which has just completed a management buy-out from its UK parent making it fully Malaysian, is also building on its regional capability. “We are handling shows in Vietnam and Thailand for example and also developing other business further afield in places like China. The benefits to exhibitors of using the official contractor at exhibitions are, as Chris continues, clear cut, “We can take goods all the way to the show location, arrange customs clearance and, more importantly, work on site. With show build-up times getting tighter and tighter, it is essential to be able to get the right exhibits to the right stand, at the right time. Using the official contractor will facilitate this process considerably. “And, at DSA (Defence Services Asia), the biggest show of all, the ‘exhibits’ can be anything from a rocket launcher to a Main Battle Tank.” Ensuring that over 100 exhibitors get their exhibits in place on time at that event is nothing less than a work of art! Tel: +60 3 5510 8611 Email: [email protected]